Plant Doctor Archive

Kitty litter in the compost?

THIS doesn't exactly count as a plant problem, but can dog and cat poo be added to the compost heap? And what about used kitty litter? Will it be too acidic?

IN theory you could add pet excrement to the compost heap but for health reasons it's not a good idea. There's too much risk of getting fecal contamination when handling the compost or working in the garden.

The best thing to do with pet poo and kitty litter is bury it in the garden (not the vegetable garden) and allow nature and soil organisms to deal with it. Or flush it down the toilet. Incidentally, on the subject of composting, if you have access to a computer check out www.reducerubbish.govt.nz/compost where there are great tips on what you can compost, how to make good compost and how compost heaps work.

Reproduced with permission from the former Weekend Gardener magazine. The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the RNZIH.